Blogs

Any day on the golf course is a good day. When you get to spend it with an old friend who knows how to lead a great conversation, it’s even better.

Because this isn't simply another networking group. I think of the Leaders Circle as my own trusted board of advisors.

AI is trained on patterns. Experience is built by living it. Those aren't the same thing — and the difference decides whether you create motion or strategic speed.

Our Connect Labs community toured IRCAD North America. What struck me most wasn't the technology — it was the reminder that innovation happens where innovators gather.

Consistency only creates meaningful results when you're consistently focused on the right things. How you start determines how quickly you grow.

Most companies don't have an effort problem. They have a consistency problem. When every adjustment becomes a U-turn, the system never gets time to work.

Two founders gave me the same assessment — "You're not from our vertical" — and drew completely different conclusions. Those aren't vertical problems. They're commercialization problems.

Founders tell me they need more top-of-funnel activity. What they actually need is more visibility, more credibility, and better access.

This week I moved 5 Stones Growth Systems into Connect Labs by Wexford at The Pearl. It's not about a new office — it's about who you build alongside.

There are business relationships, and then there are friendships built through years of mutual respect, encouragement, and shared experiences.

Speed alone isn't the answer. In fact, rapid decisions without clarity often become rapid guesses. Without clarity, there can be no predictability.

Our greatest professional accomplishments aren't measured by titles, revenue, or growth charts. They're measured by the people we impact along the way.

The founders are impressive. The mentors are generous. The ecosystem is growing. Something special is happening at The Pearl and Connect Labs by Wexford.

Companies ask "Who do you know?" before they've done the work. A scalable referral strategy starts long before you ask for an introduction.

Somewhere along the way, people started confusing acceleration with execution. AI can automate activity. It cannot automate authenticity.

When I wrote Health Tech Giant Slayer, I opened with David and Goliath. Standing in that room last week, I realized how much deeper that story has become in my own life.

She didn't need more ideas. She needed clarity, structure, and a path forward. That's the real reward in what we do.

Growth gets blamed on people, pipeline and market conditions. But most of the time it's a system that was never built to scale.

Jeff Phillips joins 5 Stones Growth Systems as a Fractional Growth Leader, bringing 25+ years across healthcare, SaaS and technology.

What looks like a communication problem is actually a process problem. And the last place you want to fix it is mid-air.

The Key to Predictable Health Tech Go-To-Market Growth

Here’s how making your message relatable wins every time.

In Health Tech Giant Slayer, I make a simple claim: startups and scaleups don’t defeat their Goliaths by outspending or outmuscling them - they win by out-authenticating them.

If you only looked at the headlines, you might think the startup funding world is on fire again. In cities like Austin, massive rounds—some topping $100M—are still being raised, pushing quarterly funding totals into the billions.

Building a successful go-to-market (GTM) team in a startup or scaleup environment requires more than just hiring top talent.